Pepper Hamilton LLP announced that Thomas P. Wilczak, a partner and head of the firm's Environmental Practice Group in the Detroit office, has been named the new managing partner of the Detroit office.
Wilczak replaces Barbara Rom, who was previously the attorney-in-charge for four years.
Wilczak focuses his practice on matters related to environmental counseling, compliance, permitting, regulatory affairs, and environmental issues pertaining to litigation and transactional matters, as well as managing other litigation and regulatory matters for clients. He also is a member of the firm's Sustainability, CleanTech and Climate Change Team.
Additionally, Candace L. Gaston joined Pepper Hamilton as an associate attorney in the Litigation Group.
Gaston earned her BBA (2004) from the Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, and her law degree (2009) from the University of Michigan Law School.
Gaston previously worked as a summer associate at Pepper Hamilton, interned in the treasurer's office at Ford Motor Company, and assisted inbound college students with their testing and writing skills as an instructor with Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions.
Gaston is admitted to practice in Michigan.
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Terry L. Cramer, corporate counsel at Orlans Associates, has been named Board of Directors chair for Special Olympics Michigan.
As chair, Cramer, along with 19 other board members, will focus on developing ways to enhance Special Olympics Michigan programs. In addition to sports, Special Olympics Michigan offers comprehensive Healthy Athlete programs including a Healthy Eyes program. Cramer says, "Last year during the Summer Games, we fit 200 athletes with glasses. We hope to provide more of this kind of service."
Cramer's involvement with Special Olympics Michigan began 15 years ago as a volunteer and his participation has encompassed several positions. Over the past five years, his service on the Board of Directors included committee chair, Executive Committee member, treasurer, vice chair, and chair-elect.
Being board chair is not just a voluntary second career for Cramer; it is also a source for inspiration. He says, "Special Olympics athletes are amazing people. They're very competitive and all about making sure everybody participates and contributes. Working toward personal and team goals, they compete against each other and more importantly, against their own past performance. They constantly strive for their personal best, and very proudly display achievements, particularly if it results in winning a medal - and that's really exciting to watch!"
Cramer emphasizes that though sporting events occur 52 weeks of the year, Special Olympics Michigan offers more than just competition. Through their participation, athletes improve their self-confidence and self-esteem, gain lasting friendships and expand their socialization skills.
Cramer's dedication to Special Olympics Michigan is also evident by his fundraising efforts. Special Olympics Michigan has a $7 million budget that starts at zero each January. He enjoys the challenge of fundraising so that Special Olympics Michigan can continue to operate their no-cost-to-the-athletes programs.
On Feb. 27, Cramer will participate in an annual, extreme-winter fundraiser called the Polar Plunge. At this event, Cramer's sponsors can watch from the shore as he jumps into the frigid waters of Lake St. Clair near the Roostertail in Detroit. When asked about 'bearing' the elements he expressed, "That water is ice cold, but I am really excited to be supporting 16,000 Special Olympics Michigan athletes." Cramer said that people can easily become involved with the organization by attending an event and cheering the athletes. There are also several ways to donate listed on the Special Olympics Michigan at www.somi.org.
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Dykema, a national law firm, announces that eight new associates have joined the firm's Detroit office.
Christopher M. Miller focuses on general litigation, with an emphasis on business and commercial litigation. In the winter/spring of 2005, Miller worked in the communications department of the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai, China.
Miller earned his B.A. from James Madison College at Michigan State University and a law degree from Ohio State University.
Abimbola A. Obisesan's practice focuses on corporate finance, mergers & acquisitions, securities, and biotechnology and life sciences.
Obisesan earned his B.A. from Calvin College, a M.P.A. from Grand Valley State University, and a law degree from Michigan State University College of Law.
Nasseem S. Ramin focuses her practice on general litigation, with an emphasis on business and commercial litigation.
In 2008, Ramin was a pro bono intern with King & Spalding, LLP, working under the direction of the pro bono committee chairperson.
Ramin earnd her B.A. from the University of Michigan, an M.A. from American University, and a law degree from American University, Washington College of Law.
Andrew M. Steiger focuses on general taxation issues, including federal and state taxation of corporations, partnerships, limited liability companies and individuals.
Prior to law school, Steiger worked as a tax accountant for a large mutual insurance company. He was also a volunteer tax preparer with the Boston Earned Income Tax Credit Coalition.
Steiger earned his B.A. and a MAcc from the University of Michigan, and a law degree from Wayne State University.
Four new associates have also joined Dykema's Bloomfield Hills office.
Vichit Chea's practice focuses on intellectual property law with an emphasis on patent and trademark prosecution, patent litigation, and advising clients on advanced design and risk assessment.
Chea received a B.S.M.E. from Wayne State University and his law degree from the University of Detroit Mercy.
David J. Council focuses on general litigation, with an emphasis on complex commercial disputes, product liability, premises actions, and consumer financial services.
Council earned a B.A. from Kalamazoo College and his law degree from Wayne State University.
Michael S. Weisenbach's practice focuses on general litigation, with an emphasis on automotive and products liability.
Weisenbach earned his B.S. from Eastern Michigan University and his law degree from Ohio State University.
Dawn T. Yeaton focuses on all aspects of real estate law, including acquisition and disposition, workout and restructuring, leasing, commercial finance, due diligence and real estate litigation.
Yeaton earned her B.A. from the University of Michigan and her law degree from University of Detroit Mercy.
Additionally, the firm would like to announce the addition of Daniel P. Malone to its Litigation Department as Of Counsel in the firm's Detroit office. He joins Dykema from Butzel Long where he was director of Korean Client Relations and served as the first director of their Global Automotive Practice.
For almost thirty years, Malone has focused his practice on civil litigation, particularly product liability, and automotive government compliance. His litigation experience also includes global defense efforts, having served as a National Coordinating Counsel to Bridgestone/Firestone where he helped strategize, coordinate, and lead Firestone's overall defense efforts in the Ford Explorer/Firestone Wilderness AT controversy. He has defended other automotive component manufacturers in product liability actions as well.
Additionally, Malone actively counsels foreign and domestic suppliers in the automotive industry on various federal compliance matters, including recalls, FMVSS compliance, and global technical regulations.
Malone has traveled to South Korea, Japan, and China in the representation of clients with business interests in both Michigan and Asia.
Malone previously served as president of the 700-member Eastern District of Michigan Chapter of the Federal Bar Association and is a member of the State Bar of Michigan, and the Detroit Metropolitan and American bar associations. He serves on the Life Member Committee for the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals Judicial Conference.
A frequent author and speaker, Malone is listed in "The Best Lawyers in America" and "Michigan Super Lawyers." He earned his law degree from the University of Detroit Law School and a A.B. from Cornell University.
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The law firm of Miller Canfield is pleased to announce that the following people have been elected principals of the firm effective January 1, 2010.
Detroit office:
* Carla S. Machnik, from senior attorney to principal. Machnik specializes in cross-border representation of financial institutions in Canada and the United States. In this role, she develops loan structures that protect her clients' interests in both countries.
She earned her law degree from the University of Detroit-Mercy School of Law, an LL.B. from the University of Windsor School of Law and a B.A. from the University of Windsor.
* Gregory A. Nowak, CPA, from senior counsel to principal. Nowak a leading expert on state and local tax issues, re-joined Miller Canfield in 2009 after spending 16 years at PricewaterhouseCoopers in Detroit.
He is currently the chair-elect of the Board of the Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants (MACPA). He has advised the Michigan legislature on tax policy issues and has received various awards for his contributions in the area of state and local taxation. He earned his law degree from Wayne State University School of Law and his B.A. in accounting from Michigan State University.
Troy office:
* Kenneth J. Sachs, from senior attorney to principal. Sachs has experience with employee benefits and executive compensation. He represents entities regarding the design, implementation and administration of their retirement plans (both tax-qualified and non tax-qualified), welfare plans (funded and self-funded) and various other fringe benefits. He also advises clients as to their ERISA fiduciary responsibilities and handles matters concerning the IRS, Department of Labor and Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation and the Multiemployer Pension Plan Amendments Act.
He earned his law degree from George Washington University Law School and his B.A. from the University of Michigan.
Miller Canfield also announces that former Chief Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court, Clifford W. Taylor, will join the firm on Feb. 15 as Of Counsel in the appellate section of the Litigation and Trial Group in the Lansing and Naples, Florida offices. With 16 years of judicial experience, Taylor adds vast expertise to the firm's appellate practice.
Taylor was appointed to the Michigan Court of Appeals in 1992 and elected later that year. He remained in that position until 1997 when he was appointed by former Governor John Engler to the Michigan Supreme Court. He was elected justice in 1998 and re-elected in 2000. In 2005, he was elected chief justice by his colleagues and re-elected in 2007. He served as chief justice until 2009.
Taylor came to know state and federal judges throughout Michigan and the United States as a member of the Board of Directors of the National Conference of Chief Justices and as a board member of George Mason University's Law and Economics Center, a leading provider of continuing judicial education for Federal District and Court of Appeals judges and state court appellate judges.
At Miller Canfield, Taylor will appear on behalf of amici curiae on appeals involving federal and state constitutional, statutory and public policy matters. He will consult regarding appeal strategy, court decisions and justices, settlement strategy on appeal, and will participate in mock appeals and preparation for oral argument on appeal. He will also serve as an arbitrator and mediator.
Taylor will retain his position of justice in residence and visiting professor of Law at the Ave Maria School of Law in Naples, Florida. He is a member of the Catholic Lawyers Guild. He has served on the State Bar of Michigan Character and Fitness Committee and Standing Committee on Professionalism, Michigan State Board of Law Examiners, Commission on the Courts in the Twenty-First Century, Board of Directors of the Michigan Dyslexia Institute and Chief Okemos Council of the Boy Scouts of America.
Taylor earned his law degree from George Washington University and his B.A. from the University of Michigan. He served as an officer in the U.S. Navy from 1967-1971.
Additionally, Mark J. Bennett, senior counsel and team leader of Miller Canfield's Climate Change practice, recently provided his multi-disciplinary expertise by serving as contributing author for two chapters in the new publication from the "Urban Land Institute, Retrofitting Office Buildings to Be Green" and "Energy Efficient: Optimizing Building Performance, Tenant Satisfaction, and Financial Return."
The book, authored by Leanne Tobias, founder and managing principal of Malachite LLC, a global real estate consulting firm, explores the innovative trends, practices, and goals of building retrofits while serving as an authoritative guide to understanding the business aspects and policy implications of energy-efficient retrofits.
In addition, on April 14 at Wayne State University School of Law, Bennett will chair the Miller Canfield International Climate Law and Policy Symposium to discuss cutting edge legal and public policy that will shape climate change law in the coming years.
At Miller Canfield, Bennett has combined his dual training in real estate and environmental law into his position as leader of the Climate Change team, managing issues in this area of law. His practice also includes a focus on advising clients in the acquisition and development of commercial real estate, as well as guiding companies in conducting environmental due diligence in real estate transactions.
Bennett earned his law degree from Wayne State University Law School and B.A. from Michigan State University.
* * *
Butzel Long attorney Robert M. Nemzin will be a featured speaker during the American Bar Association's (ABA) Section of Real Property, Trust & Estate Law's 21st Annual Symposia May 6-7, in Philadelphia. Nemzin is one of several featured speakers for the session titled: "The Lifecycle of a Family Business Owner: Birth, Midlife Crisis, Death and Beyond!"
Based in Butzel Long's Bloomfield Hills office, Nemzin concentrates his practice in the areas of Estate and Succession Planning, Tax and Corporate law.
Nemzin is a graduate of New York University School of Law and the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law. Nemzin interned as a law clerk with The Findling Law Firm PLC. He also served U.S. District Court Judge Bernard A. Friedman, Eastern District of Michigan, as a judicial intern.
Nemzin is a graduate of the University of Michigan (B.A., Communication Studies, 2003).
Nemzin is admitted to practice in Michigan and New York. He is a member of the American Bar Association (Section of Taxation; and Section of Real Property, Trust and Estate Law). He serves as a Fellow in the ABA Real Property, Trust & Estate Fellows Program, and has presented on a number of topics, including "Recent Developments in Estate Planning and Estate Administration with Closely-Held Businesses" at the ABA Tax/RPTE 2008 Joint Fall CLE meeting and "Planning with Tenancies in Common - An Alternative to an FLP?" at the ABA Tax/RPTE 2009 Joint Fall CLE meeting.
His memberships also include the State Bar of Michigan and the New York State Bar Association.
* * *
The Bloomfield Hills Family Law firm of Victor and Victor PLLC is proud to announce that partner Daniel R. Victor and senior associate Keri Middleditch were recently published in the Journal of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, which is a national journal and digest of Family Law, published semiannually by the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers.
Their article, entitled "Grandparent Visitation: A Survey of History, Jurisprudence, and Legislative Trends Across the United States in the Past Decade," surveys the issue of grandparent visitation throughout the United States revealing that there is no uniformity among state laws nor is there much authority or guidance for state legislatures.
Rather, there are wide-ranging trial court interpretation and appellate court decisions that attempt to reconcile the language of Troxell v Granville, the one United States Supreme Court case that has touched upon this issue.
Victor serves as Legal Counsel to the national non-profit, Grandparents Rights Organization. He has authored numerous articles and publications on the issues of custody, parenting time, third-party custody, and ethical considerations of billing in family.
He has been named as a "Michigan Super Lawyer" and "Super Lawyer Rising Star," by Super Lawyers Magazine as well as a "Leader in the Law," by Michigan Lawyers Weekly.
Middleditch, serves as a senior associate at the firm and has been named as an "Up & Coming Lawyer for 2008" by Michigan Lawyers Weekly.
She also serves as an adjunct professor at Cooley Law School and as an instructor of Family Law at Oakland Community College.
Published: Mon, Feb 15, 2010
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